


One Year Later

by CarlyWinchester



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, Resurrection, alternative ending, not dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2014-11-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 14:41:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2585048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarlyWinchester/pseuds/CarlyWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One year after the war with Gaea, Piper and Jason run into someone they thought was dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Year Later

Using her hand, Piper fanned her face. She and Jason were sitting in the shade of Thalia’s tree, trying to escape the summer's unbearable heat. Being a daughter of Aphrodite, Piper didn't sweat much, or risk looking anything less than perfect, but Jason wasn't so lucky. Beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face, rolling off his chin and onto the grass. His glasses fogged up from the hear, forcing him to take them off every few seconds to wipe the lenses clean. Piper smiled at him, remembering the day he got his glasses. Asclepius gave Jason one look, and pulled out a pair. She remembered how excited Jason got when he put them on, finally being able to see in HD. At first, he didn’t talk much about them, but later, after their mission was complete, he wouldn't stop pointing out everything he was finally able to see with them on, like leaves on a tree.

Though it’s only been a year since their quest to defeat Gaea, the memories seemed so far away. Piper and her friends on board the Argo II, fighting monsters and angry snow goddesses until they landed in Athens and somehow managed to defeat the Giants, with the help of their godly parents. Jason looked so powerful fighting next to Zeus, it sent chills down her spine. She remembered how Leo and Hephaestus stayed on the ship, working fast pace, firing the ballista, keeping the ship in the sky, and watching everybody's backs for when a monster decided to attack from behind. Piper’s smile faltered when she thought about Leo. After Jason got his glasses, Asclepius looked to Leo. He gave Leo a look like there was an aura of death surrounding him - like he was going to die. Leo had played it off, claiming it a broken heart and that he was only he was just dying to see Calypso again. But Leo knew something that nobody else knew. He was doomed. The aura of death foreshadowed his "grand sacrifice"... If only Piper paid more attention to the look Asclepius gave. If only she was able to save Leo from the explosion. If only Leo hadn't died alone… Piper shook her head, pushing her thoughts aside. She couldn't afford to think like that. Leo died a hero. He knew exactly what he was doing. He kept the plan to himself, but had a plan. He sacrifices himself to save the demigods and unite the two camps, and most importantly, to destroy Gaea. And, technically, he wasn't completely alone. He had Festus. Piper wouldn't have been surprised if Leo kicked her out of the best friend spot, and replaced her with the bronze dragon. Piper let out a sigh.  
Getting a feeling that something was wrong, Jason sat up, and looked at Piper. Piper couldn't help but smile at the sight of her boyfriend. His eyebrows were scrunched together, and his lips were thin, how he always looks when he’s worried about her. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, pulling off his glasses once more.

“Yeah,” Piper sighed, looking at her feet, “I was just thinking about Leo.” Jason nodded, looking away from her. Piper knew that Leo was a tough subject for Jason as well. Even though Leo and Jason's friendship was a product of the mist, Jason quickly warmed up to the quirky, hyperactive boy. Their friendship became as important and as real to Jason, as his relationship with Piper.  
Standing up, Piper extended her arm to Jason, who took it instantly.  
“Come on, the Romans should be arriving any minute now.” Jason smiled. He was looking forward to seeing Reyna, Hazel, Frank, and the rest of Camp Jupiter again. Hand in hand, they walked down the hill. They passed the forge, and Piper’s heart ached. The forge was Leo’s home, where he spent ninety-nine percent of his time while at Camp Half-Blood. As the building passed out of sight, Piper saw a figure in the distance and froze, her breath catching in her throat.

“Piper? What’s wrong?” Jason followed Piper’s gaze. Standing before them, just a couple of feet ahead, was a short, tan boy, with unkempt, curly brown hair, standing in front of a large, metal dragon. Jason dropped Piper's hand, his mouth gaping open.  
“What’s up, guys? You look like you've seen a ghost.” The boy said with a small voice, flashing a weak grin.

“L-Leo?” Piper whispered, not believing her eyes. Piper’s heart propelled itself against her chest. She stumbled in her place before she and Jason sprinted over to their deceased friend, jumping on him in a hug that almost knocked the three of them to the ground. Piper pressed her forehead against Leo’s neck, feeling the solidness of his skin. A sense of relief flooding throughout her body, knowing that he wasn't a ghost or a hallucination. Leo was actually there, right in front of her. Piper let out the breath that she didn't know she was holding. Piper felt Jason’s arm around her back, as he tightly wrapped his arms around his best friend. His glasses were now fogged from both sides, the outer part from the moisture in the air, and the inner side from the tears that fell down his face. Seeing her boyfriend cry, caused her to let out the tears that were tugging at her eyes, and soak into Leo’s torn and burnt jacket.

“I missed you too.” Leo said with a cracked voice. While flying back to camp, he had prepared dozens of jokes about resurrection, returning from death, about him being "so awesome, the Underworld gave him back", but when he saw his friends, he forgot all of his jokes. Instead, small tears fell from his eyes, wetting Piper’s hair. He held his two best friends tightly, not wanting to let go – not wanting to leave his friends ever again. Feeling lightheaded, Leo hung his head between Jason’s and Piper’s, and sniffed.

“I’m back guys.” Leo whispered, “I’m never leaving you again. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please Review :)


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